This invention is generally directed to imaging members containing polycarbonates, and more specifically, the present invention is directed to multilayered photoconductive imaging members containing charge, especially hole transport binders comprised of crosslinked polycarbonates, which can be formed from the reaction of novel polycarbonates containing pendant hydroxyl groups along the polymer backbone, with functional agents comprised of, for example, isocyanates.
A number of advantages are associated with the present invention in embodiments thereof, such as, excellent electrical characteristics, the provision of robust photoconductive imaging members, wherein the life thereof is increased from about 170 kilocycles to over 500 kilocycles, and more specifically, from about 255 to about 510 kilocycles; compatibility with hole transport components, such as aryl amines, resistance to solvents, such as methylene chloride, tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene, and resistant to any disintegration of bias charging rolls. In embodiments of the present invention, the imaging members exhibit excellent cyclic/environmental stability, and substantially no adverse changes in their performance over extended time periods; and excellent resistance to mechanical abrasion, and therefore extended photoreceptor life. The aforementioned photoresponsive, or photoconductive imaging members can be positively or negatively charged when the photogenerating layer is situated between the charge transport layer and the substrate.
Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, are also encompassed by the present invention. More specifically, the layered photoconductive imaging members of the present invention can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, color processes, digital imaging process, digital printers, PC printers, and electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein charged latent images are rendered visible with toner compositions of an appropriate charge polarity. The imaging members of the present invention are in embodiments sensitive in the wavelength region of, for example, from about 500 to about 900 nanometers, and more specifically, from about 650 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source. Moreover, the imaging members of this invention are useful for color xerographic systems.